March 28, 2024

Council outlines economic development priorities

Hotel Maytag project, airport board discussed

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The Newton City Council took up several topics at a special workshop on Monday.

Topics discussed by council, along with Mayor Mike Hansen and city staff, included priorities in economic development and housing, a potential airport advisory board and the process of retaining a consultant for the search of a new city administrator.

Priorities in economic
development and housing

Hansen opened up the study session discussing the progress at Hotel Maytag and work with the Frantz Company Investors.

“One of the main concerns at this point in time is Hotel Maytag. We continue to work with the developers, Frantz, and the group that he has assembled to continue to identify and close the financing gap,” Hansen said. “The latest item in that is we have given that group, through our economic development team, a deadline, that they need to bring to us.”

The deadline is for providing information about financial gaps that hinder the project, what the city may be able to do to help the company and what Frantz is going to do in order to move the project forward.

“We have identified that project as an important piece of our Main Street district and an important piece of starting our remodel, rehabilitation of the downtown historic district,” Hansen said.

Councilwoman Lin Chapé voiced her approval for setting a deadline, and followed up by asking for further information on what happens if the deadline is not met.

“I strongly believe that this is the kickstart to our downtown area and I am getting citizen feedback in that regard,” Chapé said.

Hansen also spoke to the council about work that is happening throughout the city, including at both Interstate 80 exits; he said city and development officials cannot fully comment on such work.

“We are talking to three different prospects (for exit 168), none of which want their names or what they may be doing disclosed at this time, and we respect that,” Hansen said.

He explained that by not disclosing all of the information on projects, the city is able to continue working with interested parties and protect potential deals and confidentiality agreements. Doing so can be essential to gaining trust with prospective companies and eventually signing contracts for business.

The group also discussed the future of downtown Newton and the potential to put a plan in place to guide future efforts.

“It would be helpful to have a plan — a downtown development plan,” councilwoman Evelyn George said. “Really create a comprehensive plan, this is what the downtown could be like ... so that it may take 20, 30, 50 years to achieve that but we see a vision by which we go forward and that would help us in our planning and be able to share that with potential businesses.”

Housing efforts in the community were discussed, beginning with the council’s recent decision to move forward with hiring an executive director for the Newton Housing Development Corporation.

“I think for the betterment for our community, I think housing and the development of various different housing, needs to be a high priority,” Hansen said.

The employers in the community identified housing — specifically affordable housing — as an issue for their employees, Hansen said. While the city has started many efforts to jump start the housing market, continuing efforts need to be made to ensure further growth in the Newton.

Hansen also put another topic out to the council for it to consider in the coming months.

“We still have a need for D&D (the Dangerous & Dilapidated program that involves small cash offers for buildings to be torn down). There are still homes out there, there are still properties out there that blight this community,” Hansen said. “We still need to, again, invest the necessary funds in order to continue that program.”

He did suggest prioritizing the single and double lots for reinvestment in new, affordable housing.

Airport Advisory Board

About eight months ago, Hansen said he was approached by a group of people wondering why the city did not have an advisory board for the Newton Municipal Airport. A board could potentially be used to discuss initiatives or other items that have to do with airport expansion or the operation of it.

Hansen said he took it under advisement but after being approached a second time decided it was time for the council to decide the direction it wants to go concerning the formation of an airport board.

“There are several types of boards. There are airport commissions, which is similar to what Des Moines International has, who makes the big decisions and spend a lot of money,” Hansen said. “Then there are advisory boards, much like our park board, where they get together, brainstorm, have discussion about what they can do to better our park system, but they have no spending authority.”

Several council members have differing opinions on the direction to go concerning the airport board. George said she would like to explore the idea of a board while councilwoman Miranda Kulis and councilman Craig Trotter were unsure if that was the way to go.

“I have come to the idea that I haven’t seen it broken, so if it’s not broken, why fix it?” Kulis said. “I would like to hear more information, I’m just not seeing where that is a concern or issue at this point that would lead me down the path of looking for an alternative.”

Trotter along with councilman Steven Mullan said a first step should be to talk with current leadership at the airport to see what plans they have for the organization. Hansen agreed and an airport workshop session was tentatively planned for Aug. 8 to further discussion.

City administrator search process

City Administrator Bob Knabel has announced his intentions to retire in the next three to nine months. A part of the hiring process for a potential successor includes retaining a consultant for the search.

“I think it is appropriate to start the process of interviewing prospective consultants,” Hansen said. “I am willing to kick that part of it off.”

Hansen said they could work to narrow down the consultants to those the council wishes to bring in to be interviewed for the position.

“That is exactly what we were asking,” Chapé said. “We do have concerns on process and making sure we have the right consultant.”

The council plans to also discuss its preferences for a consultant at its Aug. 8 meeting.

Contact Jamee A. Pierson at 641-792-3121 ext. 6534 or jpierson@newtondailynews.com